PREVIOUSLY IN DAREDEVIL: Matt Murdock has begun to rebuild his life from the shambles it had fallen into. Moving to San Francisco, he has found allies in the Avengers' west coast division and is currently seeking to understand the mixed feelings he has for the mutant Copycat. Meanwhile, his demonic 'brother' Mike Murdock is operating in Hell's Kitchen as Hellspawn, keeping a watch over the city. Neither hero is aware that the evil Owl has come into possession of King Solomon's Frog, a time traveling device that gives him the power to rewrite history.
Leland Owlsley hated the nickname they gave him. "The Owl of Wall Street" was supposedly celebrating Leland's financial acumen but he always knew the truth: it was a derogatory term, making fun of his oft-unkempt hairstyle and his pinched features. The entire thing was a symbol of the intense jealousy that other men felt for him and his successes. One of them, Leland had never known exactly which it had been, finally decided to do something about it. Leland's activities had included connections with various criminal enterprises and once these ties were revealed to the IRS, an intense investigation had been launched.
Just like that, it had all come tumbling down like a house of cards. Leland's life was in shambles and he'd bolted into the darkness of the city streets, becoming one of the most feared criminal masterminds in the country. Initial victories had made him cocky and far too satisfied, eventually leading to a long string of embarrassing defeats at the hands of Daredevil and Spider-Man. Worst of all, he had been thoroughly humiliated by Dr. Octopus in a gang war and left for dead.
But now it was all going to be different.
The Owl hovered in mid-air, staring with a critical eye at the man walking below. His name was Karl Manning and, thanks to the time traveling device known as King Solomon's Frog, he had been revealed as the source of Leland's woes. It had been Manning, an overly ambitious young turk from a rival investment firm, who had turned evidence against the Owl.
Extending the metal claws he wore over his right hand, the Owl descended like a bird of prey, decapitating Manning in an orgy of violence. As soon as the man's head struck the ground, the world around them both began to fade and then reappear, with the Owl no longer on a Manhattan street but instead in the bed of a lovely young woman who went by the colorful name of Orbit. The blue-haired girl was watching him with excitement, her blue and white costume fitting her trim figure perfectly. "I don't feel any different," she murmured with more than a little disappointment. "It didn't work?"
Leland Owlsely was silent for a moment, his brain adjusting to a sudden flood of information. "I was never investigated by the IRS," he said, eyes widening. "I remained hidden from the law until I amassed a criminal empire that was untouchable. And then I put down an uprising led by a punk named Wilson Fisk to solidify my hold as the Kingpin of Crime."
Orbit pursed her lips. "Yeah... but that's the way it's always been. Nothing's changed."
The Owl threw back his head and laughed heartily. "It worked! I changed the past and my reality altered to reflect it!" He tapped the side of his head. "And now I remember it all: the way it was and the way it is now!"
"But why don't I remember it the way it was?"
"Because you weren't there, you cow!"
"Watch it," she warned, rising to her feet. "We're partners in this, remember?"
The Owl smiled coldly, looking down at the Frog in his hand. "No. And neither do you."
Two seconds later, the woman known as Orbit was no longer standing there. The Owl had gone back in time and given her a little shove at just the right moment, allowing her to die in a subway accident.
He looked down at himself, at the sleek physique he'd engineered for himself in this brave new world, and he felt giddy with excitement.
"I'm God," the Owl whispered. Possibilities ran rampant through his mind but something came clearly to the fore: even in this new reality, there was one constant thorn in his side. The man called Daredevil had foiled his plans again and again, making Leland's life much more difficult than it should have been. "Watch your back, Devil... I'm coming for you."
# # # # #
Matt Murdock woke up with a smile upon his face. Karen was there beside him, snuggled close. Her nude form was warm against his, taking the bite off the chill San Francisco morning. He leaned close and nuzzled the top of her head, feeling himself slowly coming out of his dreams and back to reality.
And then it hit him.
Karen was dead which made the woman beside him an impossibility. He shoved himself free of her and wrinkled up his nose in disgust. "How dare you?!" he exploded, anger lacing with sadness.
Vanessa stared at him with regret. She shifted her form from that of Karen Page to her natural blue-skinned form. "Matt, calm down. I thought you'd like it. That's all."
Matt shook his head in disbelief. He lowered his voice when he spoke again, aware that he was not in a private apartment or home but rather in a busy hotel. He'd been looking for a permanent home in the city but it was hard to find affordable housing in the wake of Equinox's attack on San Francisco. "Karen is dead. Stop trying to soil her memory."
"I'm sorry," she said and Matt could hear the sincerity in her voice. He relaxed a bit as she lay back on the bed, her white hair spilling around her shoulders. "When you asked the Avengers to let me go... I guess I thought it meant you had some feelings for me."
"I don't really know you. The whole time we were together you were pretending to be someone else."
"Then ask me something!"
"Why? What are you looking for? A relationship?"
Vanessa hesitated and then admitted the truth... a truth that she'd been half hiding from herself. "Yes. I do. You're a decent man, Matt, and those are pretty damned hard to find. Most of my adult life has been spent in love with a mercenary who goes by the name Deadpool. You've heard of him?"
"Yes."
"Then you know that he kills people for a living. And that's pretty typical of the guys I've been around. I spent a few years making money on my back, Matt... I've seen every little secret that men can have and I know that none of it is pretty. But when I've been with you... you make me wonder if the world can't be a better place, if I can't do something with meaning."
"No more acting like Karen," he said, moving to sit near her on the bed. "Okay?"
"Deal."
"And how about we start with coffee before we jump straight into you sleeping in my bed?"
Vanessa smiled at him, once again floored by his ever-present morality. Most men would never have turned her out of their sheets... especially when they'd slept with her a few dozen times before. But here was Matt, wanting to take their relationship slow. "Okay," she said with a laugh. "But how about I buy it?"
Matt grimaced as pain lanced through his temple. He clutched at his head with his hands, falling forward into Vanessa's arms. He heard her worried questions but was unable to respond. He felt like his entire soul was being pulled in a thousand different directions. He saw himself holding Elektra in his arms, feeling her heart slowing as she died from a wound inflicted by Bullseye... only this time Bullseye wasn't trying to impress the Kingpin, he was working for the Owl. Matt saw Foggy Nelson killed once more as the Owl continued to wage his endless war on his enemy.
"That's not right," Matt whispered. "It's not right."
"Matt?" Vanessa asked as Matt pulled away from her, his senses beginning to settle once more. "Are you okay? Did you have a heart attack?"
"No," he said, finding his way through his hotel room with the aid of his radar sense. He found the scarlet costume hanging in his closet and began to dress. "Something's wrong. With the entire world."
"Where are you going?"
"To the Avengers compound. If this is as big as I think it is, they're my best bet."
"Can I come along?"
Daredevil hesitated and then nodded. "Why not?" he asked with a smile. "But put on some clothes first."
# # # # #
Hellspawn looked over the paperwork that Matt had faxed him the day before, nodding as he skimmed the words. Unlike his 'brother,' Mike Murdock was not blind so he relished every opportunity for visual stimulation. In his office, he currently had ESPN playing on a large-screen television set while a smaller set played through an old Alison Blaire video clip on VH1-Classic.
"Can't see any problems with this," he said to the man seated across from him. "Looks like my brother will have his California law license reinstated in a few weeks time."
Ben Urich grunted, leaning back in his chair. Privy to the secrets of the Man Without Fear, he knew that Mike was not the birth brother of Daredevil but he'd agreed to play along. He'd come by to see Mike first thing this morning and had engaged in some idle small talk while Mike filled him in on Matt's move out west. The time was coming to bring up the real subject behind his visit. "Can't believe he's leaving the city," Ben muttered. "I mean, Daredevil is Hell's Kitchen."
"I'm going to be watching over the place for him," Mike replied, a smile on his face.
"You don't look like you mind it very much."
"What's that supposed to mean, Ben?"
"I just mean that for all the faith Matt puts in you, I still can't get over the fact that you're a demon pretending to be human."
Mike's smile froze in place and he leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I'm sorry to hear that, Ben. I thought we were friends."
"I've heard you're a little bit rougher on the thugs than Matt is. I heard you broke a man's arm the other night. When they brought him in to the emergency room, the bone was sticking right out through the skin."
"Are you doing a story on me?"
"I think there's a story, yeah. I don't want people thinking the guy in the armored DD costume is the same guy we've had around for years."
"Matt hasn't had any problem with me or my methods."
"You've gotten a lot rougher since he left town," Ben pointed out. "Look, Mike... I don't mind if you want to ramp up the violence a little bit. That's your call. But good, honest people shouldn't be afraid of you and that's what's starting to happen."
"Thanks for the head's up," Mike replied. "But I think I know what I"m doing."
Ben stood up. "Tone it down, that's all I'm asking." Ben moved to the door but stopped with his hand on the knob. "By the way, I heard you were representing the communist Red Skull. Is that true?"
"Forget having any exclusives for awhile," Mike said with a shake of his head. "I can't believe you'd treat me like this."
Ben sighed. "Look... I'm sorry. Maybe you're everything you're supposed to be. Maybe I'm just a cynical guy who can't take things on faith. I'll be pulling for you."
Mike watched as Ben exited the office. He was alone with his thoughts and mounting anger for only a brief second before his secretary Mary Wilson entered. She looked lovely today with a bright smile that seemed to melt away his troubles.
"I've got the papers you wanted," she said, offering him a thick manila envelope.
"Are you doing anything for dinner tonight?" he asked, making her blink in surprise.
"Well... just picking up my son and getting some take-out Chinese."
"Let me treat you -- and your son."
Mary blushed a bit. "I... I don't think it's a good idea to see each other outside the office."
Mike sighed, looking away. "Fine. That's all."
"I'm sorry--"
"That's all!" he yelled.
Mary stared at him in shock and then hurried away, leaving Hellspawn to wonder if he would ever truly be free of his past.
# # # # #
Daredevil and Copycat stood near one another as the face of Earth's Sorcerer Supreme appeared on a monitor before them. Off to the side, Hawkeye and Iron Man watched in silence.
Stephen Strange smiled wearily, looking like a man badly in need of sleep. "Daredevil... this is a bit of a surprise. What can I do to assist you?"
"Sorry for bothering you but the Avengers said you'd given them permission to call upon you whenever necessary."
"Of course," Strange confirmed.
Daredevil took a moment to put his words into a coherent order. "I experienced something earlier tonight... a strange sense that the world was not right."
Strange nodded eagerly, looking surprised. "I have been looking into this as well. I had no idea that anyone else had noticed this. It was a subtle change in the fabric of reality... I have not been able to pinpoint the source of the alterations.
"I think I may have an idea," Matt replied. "The bulk of the changes I remember concern Leland Owlsely, a man who used to be simply another costumed criminal. But according to the Avengers' files now, he's much more than that -- he's the Kingpin of Crime, a mastermind who has avoided any long-term legal trouble because he's too clever to be caught."
Strange adopted a thoughtful expression. "The Owl. Yes, that would make sense. Some of the changes I've found do seem to indicate his involvement -- though this would seem to be far beyond his power level. Have any of the Avengers experienced similar things?"
Hawkeye moved forward. "None of the Whackos have but we've got calls in to some of the more cosmically attuned guys to see if they've sensed anything."
"I don't understand why I would have," Matt admitted. "It makes sense that you would," he said to Strange, "but I'm not usually involved in things this big."
"It could be because you're involved in many of the changes," Strange said. "If you can, I'd like you to wait there for me -- I'll come visit and see if we can't get to the bottom of this together."
"I'll be here," Matt said, turning off the communication device. He felt Vanessa's hand on his shoulder and turned towards her, smiling. "Guess we'll get a chance to enjoy that Compound commissary after all."
"Mind waiting for just one sec, DD?" Hawkeye asked.
"I'll go on ahead," Vanessa whispered, realizing from the archer's expression that this was meant to be a private conversation.
After Copycat was gone, Matt asked, "What do you need, Clint?"
"You still looking for a place to stay in San Fran?"
"Yes."
"Then stay here. You're already logging some serious Quinjet time going back and forth -- let us give you a place to shack up until you're on your feet again."
A knowing smile began to form on Matt's lip. "And in return....?"
Hawkeye laughed. "Well, you see...."
# # # # #
Ten Minutes Later
The Owl hovered above the compound, his telescopic vision tracking the movements of the red-garbed hero as he stepped outside the compound. In this reality, the Owl was no cripple... in fact, he'd paid for a number of enhancements that gave him a vastly improved body, with strength and stamina that made him the envy of other men. Leland smiled coldly -- the longer he lived in this altered world, the more real it became. He was beginning to forget the way he used to be: overweight, slow, a thinker but not a fighter.
He'd managed to travel across country under his own power, a feat he'd never have been able to accomplish in the old world. Now he didn't just glide, he flew. That was a perfect summation for his new existence, he thought.
The Owl reached into his pocket and retrieved King Solomon's Frogs, staring at them. They were glowing now, little particles of space and time fluttering away burnings scraps of paper. "Something's not right," he whispered aloud. "Did I make a mistake somehow?"
Movement from below caught his attention and the Owl dropped the Frogs back into his pocket. Daredevil was turning to go back inside, looking thoughtful. Does he know that I've changed history? Leland wondered. Or does he not even remember the old Owl, the one he and the rest of his friends used to scoff at? I'm amazed I didn't manage to kill him in this world... all my other enemies, from Spider-Man to Otto Octavius are humiliated or dead... but Daredevil remains a thorn in my side.
"No more," he hissed.
Matt Murdock was momentarily unaware of the danger above. He'd meant to go and join Vanessa in the dining room but had held off on it until he got his thoughts sorted out. He still felt uncertain about his place with her... and a part of him felt extreme guilt for even considering moving on past Karen. I wish I'd been able to protect you, he thought, picturing his beloved. I'm so sorry. He forced himself away from the melancholy and instead gave consideration to Hawkeye's offer. Was he really ready for that? Was it time to stop being a loner and --
The whistling of air and the feel of something rushing towards him from above made Daredevil jump but it was too late. Whatever it was read on his radar sense as man-shaped and with a familiar scent but the contours of this well-muscled body took a moment to place. Before he was ready, the Owl was upon him, scooping him up under the shoulders and lifting him high into the air. "Owlsley?" Matt spat out. "What in the name of God have you done?!"
"I've made the world right at last," the Owl cackled. "And killing you will be the last nail in the coffin of--"
Both men cried out as a wave of chronal energy spewed forth from the Owl's pocket. The Frogs cracked apart, splintering in dozens of tiny little pieces, and the resultant temporal wave snatched up the old foes, wrapping them up tightly together.
"No!" the Owl cried out. "Not now! I made this world! I've just begun to shape it!"
Daredevil felt himself slip free of the Owl's grip but he did not fall. Through the shimmering field and the whirling winds, he barely made out his surroundings... but soon his feet touched solid ground and the pungent scent of the underworld made him wrinkled his nose in disgust.
The Owl fell to his knees, angry with the world... but his anger turned to confusion as he looked about. They were in a hellish environment, where flames danced wickedly along rock walls. Here and there men and women were chained on the grounds, writhing about in horrified agony. "Where are we?"
Daredevil moved closer to his old foe. "You've been had," he muttered. He knelt and picked up one of the shards of the Frogs. "Whatever you thought this was... I don't think you knew that you playing with the devil. I'd bet my last dollar you sold a little bit of your soul every time you used this thing."
"That he did," a mocking voice agreed. The horrible visage of Mephisto shimmered into view as his body morphed out of thin air. "Hello, Matthew. Welcome back."
"What sick game are you playing at now?" Daredevil answered.
"I've been teasing and taunting you for some time now," Mephisto admitted. "New Death-Stalker? That was me." The devil laughed aloud. "You're such a noble little soul... but in the end you'll give in to temptation just like all humans do."
"I don't understand," the Owl murmured, staring at his hands. He was still handsome and slim but his confidence was fading.
"You'll have the opportunity to keep that new form of yours," Mephisto muttered. "But first we need something to seal the spell you began when you used my little talisman. We need the soul of someone pure. We need you to kill Daredevil."
"I'm going to stop you," Daredevil replied. "You have to know that."
Mephisto smile broadened. "Now in your case, Matthew... if you give in to your rage and kill your old enemy, you get something as well --" The devil swept his arm dramatically, causing a female shape to shimmer into view over their heads. She was wrapped in some sort of magical construct that held her like a fly in amber.
Though Daredevil couldn't "see" her in the normal manner, his radar sense outlined every detail of her body and he could sworn he caught the faintest whiff of her perfume in the air. "No," he whispered. "I'm not going to teased again...."
"There's no teasing," Mephisto responded. "I give you my word -- for whatever it's worth. That woman there is Karen Page... and she can be yours again, for only a very small price."
"Your soul."
TO BE CONTINUED
NEXT ISSUE: "Owl World" concludes as Daredevil and the Owl square off for one of the bloodiest battles in DD's long and illustrious career! Plus: When given the chance to bring Karen back from the dead, will Matt do what is necessary?
Author's Note
It's early May as I write this and only two issues of my run have been posted on the site so far -- which means I'm very curious how all this will be received. My take on DD is definitely more "super-heroic" than most in fanfic but I'm trying to keep the somber tone that fits the character.
After "Owl World" look for us to begin building towards issue 25!
Leland Owlsley hated the nickname they gave him. "The Owl of Wall Street" was supposedly celebrating Leland's financial acumen but he always knew the truth: it was a derogatory term, making fun of his oft-unkempt hairstyle and his pinched features. The entire thing was a symbol of the intense jealousy that other men felt for him and his successes. One of them, Leland had never known exactly which it had been, finally decided to do something about it. Leland's activities had included connections with various criminal enterprises and once these ties were revealed to the IRS, an intense investigation had been launched.
Just like that, it had all come tumbling down like a house of cards. Leland's life was in shambles and he'd bolted into the darkness of the city streets, becoming one of the most feared criminal masterminds in the country. Initial victories had made him cocky and far too satisfied, eventually leading to a long string of embarrassing defeats at the hands of Daredevil and Spider-Man. Worst of all, he had been thoroughly humiliated by Dr. Octopus in a gang war and left for dead.
But now it was all going to be different.
The Owl hovered in mid-air, staring with a critical eye at the man walking below. His name was Karl Manning and, thanks to the time traveling device known as King Solomon's Frog, he had been revealed as the source of Leland's woes. It had been Manning, an overly ambitious young turk from a rival investment firm, who had turned evidence against the Owl.
Extending the metal claws he wore over his right hand, the Owl descended like a bird of prey, decapitating Manning in an orgy of violence. As soon as the man's head struck the ground, the world around them both began to fade and then reappear, with the Owl no longer on a Manhattan street but instead in the bed of a lovely young woman who went by the colorful name of Orbit. The blue-haired girl was watching him with excitement, her blue and white costume fitting her trim figure perfectly. "I don't feel any different," she murmured with more than a little disappointment. "It didn't work?"
Leland Owlsely was silent for a moment, his brain adjusting to a sudden flood of information. "I was never investigated by the IRS," he said, eyes widening. "I remained hidden from the law until I amassed a criminal empire that was untouchable. And then I put down an uprising led by a punk named Wilson Fisk to solidify my hold as the Kingpin of Crime."
Orbit pursed her lips. "Yeah... but that's the way it's always been. Nothing's changed."
The Owl threw back his head and laughed heartily. "It worked! I changed the past and my reality altered to reflect it!" He tapped the side of his head. "And now I remember it all: the way it was and the way it is now!"
"But why don't I remember it the way it was?"
"Because you weren't there, you cow!"
"Watch it," she warned, rising to her feet. "We're partners in this, remember?"
The Owl smiled coldly, looking down at the Frog in his hand. "No. And neither do you."
Two seconds later, the woman known as Orbit was no longer standing there. The Owl had gone back in time and given her a little shove at just the right moment, allowing her to die in a subway accident.
He looked down at himself, at the sleek physique he'd engineered for himself in this brave new world, and he felt giddy with excitement.
"I'm God," the Owl whispered. Possibilities ran rampant through his mind but something came clearly to the fore: even in this new reality, there was one constant thorn in his side. The man called Daredevil had foiled his plans again and again, making Leland's life much more difficult than it should have been. "Watch your back, Devil... I'm coming for you."
# # # # #
Matt Murdock woke up with a smile upon his face. Karen was there beside him, snuggled close. Her nude form was warm against his, taking the bite off the chill San Francisco morning. He leaned close and nuzzled the top of her head, feeling himself slowly coming out of his dreams and back to reality.
And then it hit him.
Karen was dead which made the woman beside him an impossibility. He shoved himself free of her and wrinkled up his nose in disgust. "How dare you?!" he exploded, anger lacing with sadness.
Vanessa stared at him with regret. She shifted her form from that of Karen Page to her natural blue-skinned form. "Matt, calm down. I thought you'd like it. That's all."
Matt shook his head in disbelief. He lowered his voice when he spoke again, aware that he was not in a private apartment or home but rather in a busy hotel. He'd been looking for a permanent home in the city but it was hard to find affordable housing in the wake of Equinox's attack on San Francisco. "Karen is dead. Stop trying to soil her memory."
"I'm sorry," she said and Matt could hear the sincerity in her voice. He relaxed a bit as she lay back on the bed, her white hair spilling around her shoulders. "When you asked the Avengers to let me go... I guess I thought it meant you had some feelings for me."
"I don't really know you. The whole time we were together you were pretending to be someone else."
"Then ask me something!"
"Why? What are you looking for? A relationship?"
Vanessa hesitated and then admitted the truth... a truth that she'd been half hiding from herself. "Yes. I do. You're a decent man, Matt, and those are pretty damned hard to find. Most of my adult life has been spent in love with a mercenary who goes by the name Deadpool. You've heard of him?"
"Yes."
"Then you know that he kills people for a living. And that's pretty typical of the guys I've been around. I spent a few years making money on my back, Matt... I've seen every little secret that men can have and I know that none of it is pretty. But when I've been with you... you make me wonder if the world can't be a better place, if I can't do something with meaning."
"No more acting like Karen," he said, moving to sit near her on the bed. "Okay?"
"Deal."
"And how about we start with coffee before we jump straight into you sleeping in my bed?"
Vanessa smiled at him, once again floored by his ever-present morality. Most men would never have turned her out of their sheets... especially when they'd slept with her a few dozen times before. But here was Matt, wanting to take their relationship slow. "Okay," she said with a laugh. "But how about I buy it?"
Matt grimaced as pain lanced through his temple. He clutched at his head with his hands, falling forward into Vanessa's arms. He heard her worried questions but was unable to respond. He felt like his entire soul was being pulled in a thousand different directions. He saw himself holding Elektra in his arms, feeling her heart slowing as she died from a wound inflicted by Bullseye... only this time Bullseye wasn't trying to impress the Kingpin, he was working for the Owl. Matt saw Foggy Nelson killed once more as the Owl continued to wage his endless war on his enemy.
"That's not right," Matt whispered. "It's not right."
"Matt?" Vanessa asked as Matt pulled away from her, his senses beginning to settle once more. "Are you okay? Did you have a heart attack?"
"No," he said, finding his way through his hotel room with the aid of his radar sense. He found the scarlet costume hanging in his closet and began to dress. "Something's wrong. With the entire world."
"Where are you going?"
"To the Avengers compound. If this is as big as I think it is, they're my best bet."
"Can I come along?"
Daredevil hesitated and then nodded. "Why not?" he asked with a smile. "But put on some clothes first."
# # # # #
Hellspawn looked over the paperwork that Matt had faxed him the day before, nodding as he skimmed the words. Unlike his 'brother,' Mike Murdock was not blind so he relished every opportunity for visual stimulation. In his office, he currently had ESPN playing on a large-screen television set while a smaller set played through an old Alison Blaire video clip on VH1-Classic.
"Can't see any problems with this," he said to the man seated across from him. "Looks like my brother will have his California law license reinstated in a few weeks time."
Ben Urich grunted, leaning back in his chair. Privy to the secrets of the Man Without Fear, he knew that Mike was not the birth brother of Daredevil but he'd agreed to play along. He'd come by to see Mike first thing this morning and had engaged in some idle small talk while Mike filled him in on Matt's move out west. The time was coming to bring up the real subject behind his visit. "Can't believe he's leaving the city," Ben muttered. "I mean, Daredevil is Hell's Kitchen."
"I'm going to be watching over the place for him," Mike replied, a smile on his face.
"You don't look like you mind it very much."
"What's that supposed to mean, Ben?"
"I just mean that for all the faith Matt puts in you, I still can't get over the fact that you're a demon pretending to be human."
Mike's smile froze in place and he leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I'm sorry to hear that, Ben. I thought we were friends."
"I've heard you're a little bit rougher on the thugs than Matt is. I heard you broke a man's arm the other night. When they brought him in to the emergency room, the bone was sticking right out through the skin."
"Are you doing a story on me?"
"I think there's a story, yeah. I don't want people thinking the guy in the armored DD costume is the same guy we've had around for years."
"Matt hasn't had any problem with me or my methods."
"You've gotten a lot rougher since he left town," Ben pointed out. "Look, Mike... I don't mind if you want to ramp up the violence a little bit. That's your call. But good, honest people shouldn't be afraid of you and that's what's starting to happen."
"Thanks for the head's up," Mike replied. "But I think I know what I"m doing."
Ben stood up. "Tone it down, that's all I'm asking." Ben moved to the door but stopped with his hand on the knob. "By the way, I heard you were representing the communist Red Skull. Is that true?"
"Forget having any exclusives for awhile," Mike said with a shake of his head. "I can't believe you'd treat me like this."
Ben sighed. "Look... I'm sorry. Maybe you're everything you're supposed to be. Maybe I'm just a cynical guy who can't take things on faith. I'll be pulling for you."
Mike watched as Ben exited the office. He was alone with his thoughts and mounting anger for only a brief second before his secretary Mary Wilson entered. She looked lovely today with a bright smile that seemed to melt away his troubles.
"I've got the papers you wanted," she said, offering him a thick manila envelope.
"Are you doing anything for dinner tonight?" he asked, making her blink in surprise.
"Well... just picking up my son and getting some take-out Chinese."
"Let me treat you -- and your son."
Mary blushed a bit. "I... I don't think it's a good idea to see each other outside the office."
Mike sighed, looking away. "Fine. That's all."
"I'm sorry--"
"That's all!" he yelled.
Mary stared at him in shock and then hurried away, leaving Hellspawn to wonder if he would ever truly be free of his past.
# # # # #
Daredevil and Copycat stood near one another as the face of Earth's Sorcerer Supreme appeared on a monitor before them. Off to the side, Hawkeye and Iron Man watched in silence.
Stephen Strange smiled wearily, looking like a man badly in need of sleep. "Daredevil... this is a bit of a surprise. What can I do to assist you?"
"Sorry for bothering you but the Avengers said you'd given them permission to call upon you whenever necessary."
"Of course," Strange confirmed.
Daredevil took a moment to put his words into a coherent order. "I experienced something earlier tonight... a strange sense that the world was not right."
Strange nodded eagerly, looking surprised. "I have been looking into this as well. I had no idea that anyone else had noticed this. It was a subtle change in the fabric of reality... I have not been able to pinpoint the source of the alterations.
"I think I may have an idea," Matt replied. "The bulk of the changes I remember concern Leland Owlsely, a man who used to be simply another costumed criminal. But according to the Avengers' files now, he's much more than that -- he's the Kingpin of Crime, a mastermind who has avoided any long-term legal trouble because he's too clever to be caught."
Strange adopted a thoughtful expression. "The Owl. Yes, that would make sense. Some of the changes I've found do seem to indicate his involvement -- though this would seem to be far beyond his power level. Have any of the Avengers experienced similar things?"
Hawkeye moved forward. "None of the Whackos have but we've got calls in to some of the more cosmically attuned guys to see if they've sensed anything."
"I don't understand why I would have," Matt admitted. "It makes sense that you would," he said to Strange, "but I'm not usually involved in things this big."
"It could be because you're involved in many of the changes," Strange said. "If you can, I'd like you to wait there for me -- I'll come visit and see if we can't get to the bottom of this together."
"I'll be here," Matt said, turning off the communication device. He felt Vanessa's hand on his shoulder and turned towards her, smiling. "Guess we'll get a chance to enjoy that Compound commissary after all."
"Mind waiting for just one sec, DD?" Hawkeye asked.
"I'll go on ahead," Vanessa whispered, realizing from the archer's expression that this was meant to be a private conversation.
After Copycat was gone, Matt asked, "What do you need, Clint?"
"You still looking for a place to stay in San Fran?"
"Yes."
"Then stay here. You're already logging some serious Quinjet time going back and forth -- let us give you a place to shack up until you're on your feet again."
A knowing smile began to form on Matt's lip. "And in return....?"
Hawkeye laughed. "Well, you see...."
# # # # #
Ten Minutes Later
The Owl hovered above the compound, his telescopic vision tracking the movements of the red-garbed hero as he stepped outside the compound. In this reality, the Owl was no cripple... in fact, he'd paid for a number of enhancements that gave him a vastly improved body, with strength and stamina that made him the envy of other men. Leland smiled coldly -- the longer he lived in this altered world, the more real it became. He was beginning to forget the way he used to be: overweight, slow, a thinker but not a fighter.
He'd managed to travel across country under his own power, a feat he'd never have been able to accomplish in the old world. Now he didn't just glide, he flew. That was a perfect summation for his new existence, he thought.
The Owl reached into his pocket and retrieved King Solomon's Frogs, staring at them. They were glowing now, little particles of space and time fluttering away burnings scraps of paper. "Something's not right," he whispered aloud. "Did I make a mistake somehow?"
Movement from below caught his attention and the Owl dropped the Frogs back into his pocket. Daredevil was turning to go back inside, looking thoughtful. Does he know that I've changed history? Leland wondered. Or does he not even remember the old Owl, the one he and the rest of his friends used to scoff at? I'm amazed I didn't manage to kill him in this world... all my other enemies, from Spider-Man to Otto Octavius are humiliated or dead... but Daredevil remains a thorn in my side.
"No more," he hissed.
Matt Murdock was momentarily unaware of the danger above. He'd meant to go and join Vanessa in the dining room but had held off on it until he got his thoughts sorted out. He still felt uncertain about his place with her... and a part of him felt extreme guilt for even considering moving on past Karen. I wish I'd been able to protect you, he thought, picturing his beloved. I'm so sorry. He forced himself away from the melancholy and instead gave consideration to Hawkeye's offer. Was he really ready for that? Was it time to stop being a loner and --
The whistling of air and the feel of something rushing towards him from above made Daredevil jump but it was too late. Whatever it was read on his radar sense as man-shaped and with a familiar scent but the contours of this well-muscled body took a moment to place. Before he was ready, the Owl was upon him, scooping him up under the shoulders and lifting him high into the air. "Owlsley?" Matt spat out. "What in the name of God have you done?!"
"I've made the world right at last," the Owl cackled. "And killing you will be the last nail in the coffin of--"
Both men cried out as a wave of chronal energy spewed forth from the Owl's pocket. The Frogs cracked apart, splintering in dozens of tiny little pieces, and the resultant temporal wave snatched up the old foes, wrapping them up tightly together.
"No!" the Owl cried out. "Not now! I made this world! I've just begun to shape it!"
Daredevil felt himself slip free of the Owl's grip but he did not fall. Through the shimmering field and the whirling winds, he barely made out his surroundings... but soon his feet touched solid ground and the pungent scent of the underworld made him wrinkled his nose in disgust.
The Owl fell to his knees, angry with the world... but his anger turned to confusion as he looked about. They were in a hellish environment, where flames danced wickedly along rock walls. Here and there men and women were chained on the grounds, writhing about in horrified agony. "Where are we?"
Daredevil moved closer to his old foe. "You've been had," he muttered. He knelt and picked up one of the shards of the Frogs. "Whatever you thought this was... I don't think you knew that you playing with the devil. I'd bet my last dollar you sold a little bit of your soul every time you used this thing."
"That he did," a mocking voice agreed. The horrible visage of Mephisto shimmered into view as his body morphed out of thin air. "Hello, Matthew. Welcome back."
"What sick game are you playing at now?" Daredevil answered.
"I've been teasing and taunting you for some time now," Mephisto admitted. "New Death-Stalker? That was me." The devil laughed aloud. "You're such a noble little soul... but in the end you'll give in to temptation just like all humans do."
"I don't understand," the Owl murmured, staring at his hands. He was still handsome and slim but his confidence was fading.
"You'll have the opportunity to keep that new form of yours," Mephisto muttered. "But first we need something to seal the spell you began when you used my little talisman. We need the soul of someone pure. We need you to kill Daredevil."
"I'm going to stop you," Daredevil replied. "You have to know that."
Mephisto smile broadened. "Now in your case, Matthew... if you give in to your rage and kill your old enemy, you get something as well --" The devil swept his arm dramatically, causing a female shape to shimmer into view over their heads. She was wrapped in some sort of magical construct that held her like a fly in amber.
Though Daredevil couldn't "see" her in the normal manner, his radar sense outlined every detail of her body and he could sworn he caught the faintest whiff of her perfume in the air. "No," he whispered. "I'm not going to teased again...."
"There's no teasing," Mephisto responded. "I give you my word -- for whatever it's worth. That woman there is Karen Page... and she can be yours again, for only a very small price."
"Your soul."
TO BE CONTINUED
NEXT ISSUE: "Owl World" concludes as Daredevil and the Owl square off for one of the bloodiest battles in DD's long and illustrious career! Plus: When given the chance to bring Karen back from the dead, will Matt do what is necessary?
Author's Note
It's early May as I write this and only two issues of my run have been posted on the site so far -- which means I'm very curious how all this will be received. My take on DD is definitely more "super-heroic" than most in fanfic but I'm trying to keep the somber tone that fits the character.
After "Owl World" look for us to begin building towards issue 25!